1. Field of the Invention.
The invention relates to designing, reading and modifying large computer programs, and more specifically, to data processing methodology and apparatus for effecting an improved numerical description of the logical structure of a large computer program.
2. Description of the Invention.
A large computer program written in non-structured languages, like COBOL, FORTRAN, BASIC, etc., degenerates after years of enhancements into a coding hodgepodge with a complicated internal structure. Having invested millions, or sometimes tens of millions of dollars in such programs, many corporate information managers are interested to keep patching the programs as needs arise than junk them. It was believed by many program designers that little can be done to make these programs easy to read, easy to amend, to say nothing about reusing a program. The main attention of software engineering has been focused on production of new programs.
We address in this invention the problems of already existing programs. Clarifying internal structure of a large computer program with the help of external means (i.e. without changing the program code) is the main goal of this invention.